Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 171 / Tuesday, September 5, 2006 / Notices 52347 can be adapted to the same use as a Exploration Program (MEP). The DEIS Division, Science Mission Directorate, Merrill document, and there are no presents descriptions of the proposed Attn: Receiving & Inspection (Rear of articles ‘‘like or directly competitive’’ MSL mission, spacecraft, and candidate Building), NASA Headquarters, 300 E with any Merrill ‘‘article.’’ Because launch vehicle; an overview of the Street SW., Washington, DC 20024– there are no articles which are like or affected environment at and near the 3210. While hard copy comments are directly competitive with those launch site; and the potential preferred, comments may be sent by produced by the subject company, there environmental consequences associated electronic mail to cannot be any imports, much less with the Proposed Action and [email protected]. increased imports. Therefore, neither alternatives, including the No Action The DEIS may be reviewed at the Section 222(a)(2)(A) nor Section Alternative. following locations: 222(a)(2)(B) of the Trade Act, as The MSL mission is planned for (a) NASA Headquarters, Library, amended, has been satisfied. launch during the September–November Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW., The Department determines that the 2009 time period from Cape Canaveral Washington, DC 20546; revised policy articulated in Lands’ End Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida, on (b) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors does not affect Plaintiffs’ claim and an expendable launch vehicle. The Lobby, Building 249, 4800 Oak Grove determines that the subject workers are arrival date at Mars would range from Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109. not eligible to apply for TAA. mid-July 2010 to not later than mid- Hard copies of the DEIS also may be October 2010, depending on the exact Conclusion examined at other NASA Centers (see launch date and selected landing site, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below). After reconsideration on remand, I yet to be determined, on the surface of Limited hard copies of the DEIS are affirm the original notice of negative Mars. Using advanced instrumentation, available, on a first request basis, by determination of eligibility to apply for the MSL rover would acquire contacting Mark R. Dahl at the address, adjustment assistance for workers and significant, detailed information telephone number, or electronic mail former workers of Merrill Corporation, regarding the habitability of Mars from address indicated herein. The DEIS is St. Paul, Minnesota. a scientifically promising location on also available in Adobe portable Signed at Washington, DC, this 24th day of the surface. The mission would also document format at http:// August 2006. fulfill NASA’s strategic technology goals spacescience.nasa.gov/admin/pubs/ Elliott S. Kushner, of increasing the mass of science msl/index.htm. payloads delivered to the surface of Certifying Officer, Division of Trade FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adjustment Assistance. Mars, expanding access to higher and Mark R. Dahl, Planetary Science [FR Doc. E6–14590 Filed 9–1–06; 8:45 am] lower latitudes, increasing precision landing capability, and increasing Division, Science Mission Directorate, BILLING CODE 4510–30–P traverse capability (mobility) to NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC distances on the order of several 20546–0001, telephone 202–358–4800, kilometers. or electronic mail NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND The DEIS evaluates two alternatives [email protected]. SPACE ADMINISTRATION in addition to the No Action SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MEP [Notice (06–063)] Alternative. Under the Proposed Action is currently being implemented as a (Alternative 1), the proposed MSL rover sustained series of flight missions to National Environmental Policy Act; would utilize a radioisotope power Mars, each of which will provide Mars Science Laboratory Mission system, a Multi-Mission Radioisotope important, focused scientific return. The AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG), as MEP is fundamentally a science driven Space Administration (NASA). its primary source of electrical power to program whose focus is on operate and conduct science on the ACTION: understanding and characterizing Mars Notice of availability of draft surface of Mars. Under Alternative 2, an environmental impact statement (DEIS) as a dynamic system and ultimately MSL rover would utilize solar energy as addressing whether life is or was ever a for implementation of the Mars Science its primary source of electrical power to Laboratory (MSL) mission. part of that system. The core MEP operate and conduct science on the addresses the highest priority scientific SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National surface of Mars. investigations directly related to the Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as DATES: Written comments on the DEIS Program goals and objectives. MSL amended, (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et must be received by NASA no later than investigations would be a means of seq.), the Council on Environmental October 23, 2006, or 45 days from the addressing several of the high-priority Quality Regulations for Implementing date of publication in the Federal scientific investigations recommended the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 Register of the U.S. Environmental to NASA by the planetary science CFR Parts 1500–1508), and NASA Protection Agency’s notice of community. policy and procedures (14 CFR Part availability of the MSL DEIS, whichever The overall scientific goals of the MSL 1216 subpart 1216.3), NASA has is later. mission can be divided into four areas: prepared and issued a DEIS for the ADDRESSES: Comments submitted via (1) Assess the biological potential of at proposed MSL mission. The DEIS first class, registered, or certified mail least one selected site on Mars, (2) addresses the potential environmental should be addressed to Mark R. Dahl, characterize the geology and impacts associated with implementing Mail Suite 3X63, Planetary Science geochemistry of the landing region at all the mission. The purpose of this Division, Science Mission Directorate, appropriate spatial scales, (3) investigate proposal is to explore the surface of NASA Headquarters, 300 E Street SW., planetary processes of relevance to past Mars with a mobile science laboratory Washington, DC 20546–0001. habitability, and (4) characterize the (rover). This environmental impact Comments submitted via express mail, a broad spectrum of the Martian surface statement (EIS) is a tiered document commercial deliverer, or courier service radiation environment. The following (Tier 2 EIS) under NASA’s should be addressed to Mark R. Dahl, specific objectives are planned for the Programmatic EIS for the Mars Mail Suite 3X63, Planetary Science mission to address these goals: VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:24 Sep 01, 2006 Jkt 208001 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05SEN1.SGM 05SEN1 sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES 52348 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 171 / Tuesday, September 5, 2006 / Notices —Determine the nature and inventory of mission, and the spacecraft would not —October 10, 2006, from 1 p.m.–4 p.m. organic carbon compounds; be launched. With either the Proposed at the Hyatt Regency Washington on —Inventory the chemical building Action (Alternative 1) or Alternative 2, Capitol Hill; Congressional Room A; blocks of life (carbon, hydrogen, the potentially affected environment for 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW., nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and a normal launch includes the area at Washington, DC 20001. sulfur); and in the vicinity of the launch site, Further information on the public —Identify features that may represent CCAFS in Florida. The environmental meetings can be obtained by contacting the effects of biological processes; impacts of a normal launch of the Mark R. Dahl at the address or —Investigate the chemical, isotopic, and mission for either alternative would be telephone number indicated herein, or mineralogical composition of Martian associated principally with the exhaust by visiting the MSL DEIS Web site at: surface and near-surface geological emissions from the expendable launch http://spacescience.nasa.gov/admin/ materials; vehicle. These effects would include: (1) pubs/msl/index.htm. Advanced —Interpret the processes that have Short-term impacts on air quality within registration for attending any of the formed and modified rocks and the exhaust cloud and near the launch meetings is not required. regolith; pad, and (2) the potential for acidic The FEIS may be examined at the —assess long-timescale (i.e., 4-billion- deposition on the vegetation and surface following NASA locations by contacting year) atmospheric evolution water bodies at and near the launch the pertinent Freedom of Information processes; and complex. Office: —Determine the present state, Potential launch accidents could (a) NASA, Ames Research Center, distribution, and cycling of water and result in the release of some of the Moffett Field, CA 94035 (650–604– carbon dioxide. radioactive material on board the 3273); The proposed MSL mission would spacecraft. The MMRTG planned for use (b) NASA, Dryden Flight Research utilize a rover with advanced on the rover for the Proposed Action Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (661–276– instrumentation to acquire significant (Alternative 1) would use plutonium 2704); detailed information regarding the dioxide, with a radioisotope inventory (c) NASA, Glenn Research Center at habitability of Mars from a scientifically of approximately 58,700 curies, to Lewis Field, Cleveland,